About: infrastructure
Striking a balance: IT infrastructure and digital sovereignty
As the EU searches for the best path to balance cutting-edge technologies with its future ‘digital sovereignty’, EU policymakers must consider the potential advantages and risks of working with non-EU services providers in technology infrastructure, including 5G.
Bozhidar Danev: Part of Bulgaria’s fuel sector lies in the grey economy
Unusually low fuel prices in Bulgaria are probably the result of cartels, or contraband, Bozhidar Danev told EURACTIV.com in an exclusive interview, saying the authorities have so far been unable or unwilling to address the issue.
China strengthens grip on Central Europe and Balkans at Budapest summit
A 16+1 summit of the Central and Eastern European Countries and China took place yesterday (27 November) in Budapest, hosted by the Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orbán. His Bulgarian colleague Boyko Borissov announced that next years’ summit will take place in Sofia.
EU-India relations come full-circle
For more than a decade, the EU and India partnership had been slow-moving and fragmented, struggling to maintain momentum. The last EU-India summit however shows EU-India relations have come full circle, writes Gauri Khandekar.
Bulgaria and Romania seek investors for big infrastructure projects
Bulgaria and Romania are on the lookout for investors in three big regional infrastructure projects, following a joint session of the heads of government on Tuesday (3 October), Bulgarian media reported.
African states compete in TV-style ‘Dragon’s Den’ for foreign investment at Dev Days
Three developing African states copied the reality-TV format of Dragon’s Den to compete for foreign businesses from a panel of a nearly a dozen investors, at the EU’s Development Days conference on Wednesday (6 June).
‘Private sector development helps stabilise vulnerable countries’
Private sector development is crucial to stabilising the most vulnerable countries. But ensuring businesses respect social and environmental standards is a real challenge, Anne-Sophie Rakoutz told EURACTIV France.
Is China’s Silk Road initiative at a dead end?
China’s Silk Road initiative is designed to boost economic growth across Asia and Africa through targeted infrastructure investments. But achieving the convergence needed across such different political and economic environments will be harder than Beijing had anticipated, writes Peter Wolff.
Hamon and Jadot call for end to Lyon-Turin rail project
A ban on endocrine disruptors, the end of nuclear power and the suspension of the Lyon-Turin high-speed train line: this is Yannick Jadot’s price for supporting Socialist candidate for the French presidency Benoît Hamon. Euractiv France reports.
European infrastructure needs more than public funding
Europe’s leaders are stuck on the horns of a huge dilemma: how to invest more in critical infrastructure without burdening taxpayers further. Private capital is ready to invest in transport, energy, telecoms and healthcare, but existing barriers are holding it back, writes Michael Collins.
‘Share the knowledge’ at UN’s Quito summit on cities – or wait until 2036
Some 90% of urban growth over the next 30 years will happen in developing countries. If we squander the chance to set them on the path to sustainability now, it may be lost for ever, write Eva Dic and Maria-Theres Haase.
Romania’s bids for EU funding criticised by own Commissioner
Romanian Commissioner Corina Crețu has urged her country to submit better quality bids for EU money, as the Eastern European nation struggles to secure all-important funding. EURACTIV Romania reports.
Africa’s farming potential hinges on infrastructure boost
Africa’s huge agricultural potential holds the promise of covering much of the planet’s nutrition needs. But the continent is hampered by lack of infrastructure and intricate local politics. VideoPromoted content
GIE Annual Conference 2016 in Sofia, Bulgaria
GIE is pleased to invite you to the 14th GIE Annual Conference on 9 and 10 June 2016.
World finance must flow towards low carbon infrastructure, G20 ministers told
Focusing development and traditional finance towards low carbon energy efficient infrastructure will fight climate change, help the world meet sustainability targets and boost global economic productivity, the world’s finance ministers have been told.
Greater competition between pavement industries could save the public millions
When it comes to building roads, increased competition between pavement industries can lower prices and save public money, writes Karl Downey.
How to achieve the best and cheapest access to on-line services in the Digital Single Market
As part of the Digital Single Market Strategy, Europe must make high quality broadband connections available right across the continent, writes Hans-Joachim Reck.
Language technologist: Europe needs a language infrastructure, not just Google Translate
Europe's language industry has lost ground to American technology companies. But it still has a chance to offer better services, says Jochen Hummel.
Transport policy is not a Cinderella
Transport is often seen as secondary, but it is at the core of the EU freedom of movement, writes Siim Kallas.
German government bolsters municipal investment power
Germany’s governing coalition hopes to boost investment power among municipalities in the Federal Republic, planning to offer them an additional €5 billion over the next few years. EURACTIV Germany reports.
EU launches fraud probe into Lyon-Turin rail link
The controversial high-speed train line between Lyon and Turin is to be examined by the European Anti-Fraud Office, OLAF, amid huge cost overruns and allegations of mafia links in Italy. The EU has already contributed €450 million to the project, but France and Italy will claim a further €4 billion of EU funding. EURACTIV France reports. VideoPromoted content
Exploring the €315bn EU investment plan
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker last week provided details of his plan to mobilise €315bn of public and private investment over the next five years to revive Europe’s economy. Just €21bn of initial public money is intended to lift 15 times as much in capital, a leverage ratio that many have already dismissed as unrealistic. Juncker has cited transport infrastructure, energy efficiency and schools’ IT as among the types of projects he envisages the money being spent on.
Barriers to infrastructure investment blocking Energy Union
Energy Union, the flagship initiative to wean the EU off its dependence on Russian gas, faces regulatory, financial and political obstacles that can delay or prevent funding for vital infrastructure, the EU Task Force on Investment has warned. VideoPromoted content
